Volkswagen Passat vs. Nissan Altima or Honda Accord, The Volkswagen Passat, redesigned in 2012 and won best mid-size car for the same year. It comes with 3 years complimentary maintenance so oil changes and the like are already covered. And, the Passat starts at less than $20,000. Test drive the Passat from Northtown and then you’ll be fully equipped to decide.